Saturday, April 16, 2011

How to Tie a Judo Belt

It's not hard to tie a judo belt, once you know how to do it. Here are step-by-step instructions on tying a judo belt.

To get started, place the center of your judo belt at your belly button and wrap both ends around your back. Bring the ends around the front and cross the left side over the right. Bring the left side of the judo belt back up underneath the middle of the belt at your belly button. This will form a half-knot.

Now take the right side of your judo belt and cross it through the hole created by the left side. Pull both ends to tighten the knot. The ends of your judo belt should be sticking out of the sides diagonally, not straight up and down. There shouldn't be any twists or other disfigurements in the judo belt.

Practice tying your judo belt until you are proficient at doing so quickly and efficiently. Being able to tie a judo belt the correct way will help you appear (and feel) like an experienced judo player. At the same time, having a judo belt that comes undone during practice can emphasize that you are a beginner. (Don't freak out if your belt does come undone, however. It happens to everybody. Really. Even black belts.) Don't be afraid to ask a judo instructor or advanced judo practitioner for help.

A note on tying the belt. Always cross the left over the right first. It is an old Japanese tradition to close a robe on a corpse with the right side over the left side, and it's good judo practice to respect that custom by closing your gi with the left side over the right side. Your belt should mirror this. You never know when to expect an old school sensei in the dojo!